Phuket Governor declares war on motorbike-riders without helmets

Phuket Governor declares war on motorbike-riders without helmets

PHUKET: Governor Chockchai Dejamornthan has warned officials who ride motorbikes in Phuket that their superior officers will be held responsible if they are caught not wearing helmets while on the roads.

Any officials in Phuket caught not wearing a helmet while on a motorbike will see their superiors held responsible, warned Governor Chockchai Dejamornthan. Photo: PR Dept

A Chalong Police officer has been praised online for making two Thai female high-school students running laps around their motorbike, instead of fining them for not wearing helmets. Image: Lek Sparrow / Facebook Screengrab

The warning came yesterday, when Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Teeraphol Thipjaroen revealed that Phuket was the worst province in Southern Thailand – and second-worst in the country – for motorbike riders not wearing helmets.

“All motorbike riders in Phuket should wear helmets 100 per cent of the time for their own protection,” he said.

“Government officials caught not wearing one will be punished regardless what good work the person has done for his or her office.

“If any official is found not wearing a helmet, that official’s superior will be held responsible,” he warned.

Gov Chockchai also ordered a zero-tolerance of any motorbike riders not wearing helmets when visiting government offices.

“The same applies for all government office premises. All people who come to government offices must wear helmets,” he said.

However, Gov Chockchai called for law enforcement to rely on public relations to encourage the general public to wear helmets while travelling on motorbikes.

“We prefer to rely on public relations by give them information and make them understand how important it is to wear a helmet while on Phuket roads,” concluded Gov Chockchai.

Phuket Police Commander Maj Gen Teeraphol said that Phuket was the worst province in Southern Thailand for motorbike riders not wearing helmets.

“We’re the second-worst province in the country,” he said, without clarifying which province was the worst.

“We find a lot of motorists not wearing helmets at night. However, officers not on patrol are often at traffic checkpoints and on the lookout for these people. Motorists not wearing helmets are stopped and fined on spot,” Gen Teeraphol said, explaining the Royal Thai Police version of public relations.

“The majority of this type of law-breaker are teenagers, so we have asked educational institutions to cooperate with us by educating their students on traffic law and enforcing them wearing helmets,” he added.

Meanwhile, Chalong Police have been praised on Facebook for one of their officers making two Thai female high-school students run laps around their motorbikes instead of fining them for not wearing helmets.

The praise follows Facebook user Lek Sparrow posting a video of the incident when the students were caught not wearing helmets on Chao Fa East Rd near Chalong Circle.

“Lek” said that he admired the officer for not fining the girls, but instead disciplining them and lecturing them on the importance of wearing helmets.

The Chalong Police officer in the video reportedly later said, “These are children and they have no money to pay a fine, so we have to teach them like our own and guide them in the right direction so they will grow up to be good citizens who obey the law.”

Additional reporting by Eakkapop Thongtub

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You should also try to at least wear a jacket as well.
There is a this company called Siima MotoWear that has very versatile jackets. Check them out at siimajackets.com

Andy |
05 December 2016 - 19:56:04

malczx7r \"ok then another person decides what he wants to do\"
And what is wrong with that so long as he does not harm others by his action?
Try Googling NAP - Non Aggression Principle.
\"and before you know it everyone is making their own rules up\" Delete \"rules up\" add \"decisions\". There that has fixed it.

Rorii |
05 December 2016 - 16:53:56

malczx7r, do yourself a favour, read everything I wrote, regarding paraplegia, and quadriplegia, it wasn't only about deaths. Your comment "i bet you could count on one hand the deaths caused by a helmet compared to deaths when not wearing helmets" is purely speculative, unless you can show proof.
Read this
"Based on a comparison of fatal crashes involving motorcycles with tw...

malczx7r |
04 December 2016 - 21:14:41

Andy, the people who set out the laws decide, that's why they have passed a law to wear a helmet! I don't ride a bike here, i certainly don't drive drunk, smoking or on my phone like I see the rest of the people, as for you deciding, ok then another person decides what he wants to do and before you know it everyone is making their own rules up, how is that going to work??

malczx7r |
04 December 2016 - 21:09:17

Rori what a load of tosh, i bet you could count on one hand the deaths caused by a helmet compared to deaths when not wearing helmets, the same argument some said for not wearing seat belts!

Pauly44 |
03 December 2016 - 09:28:51

Its true they cannot be responsible for what their subordinates get up to after hours but to suggest (swerve) a law enforcement officer would discipline another for not wearing his helmet in LOS is simply laughable!

Christy Sweet |
03 December 2016 - 08:33:55

War on low income people is how it should read- who are easy marks for police to just stand around and collect. This law has no effect whatsoever on anyone's safety other than the person who chooses to not wear a helmet. If public welfare really is the impetus,(doubtful) better to spend time and resources to enforce traffic laws on reckless driving like speeding and tailgating.

swerv |
02 December 2016 - 16:17:16

Kurt: "The point is that no superior official can be held responsible for his staff doings in their free time. Period."
You need to get someone to proof read your ramblings ( and correct your English )before you comment, because you are stating that if an off duty policeman is caught without a helmet in his free time he cannot be disciplined by his superior officer.
What a load of ru...

Andy |
02 December 2016 - 15:48:41

swerve Try Google or
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/nazi-germany/nazi-germany-dictatorship/
If you still don\'t understand then I am sorry I can\'t help further.

swerv |
02 December 2016 - 15:19:14

Andy: The famous quote by Martin Niemoller is\'
First they came for the communists, but I wasn\'t a communist and so on.
So i fail to see what this quote has to do with the law.

Kurt |
02 December 2016 - 14:50:03

Seems thai public on Phuket are a bit fed-up with RTP.
They start protests.
Parking ticket was cancelled, that says something.
The next thing, defamation charge, is just to eliminate RTP's loose face.
Very thai.
A nice case for the Phuket Ombudsman to look into.
If I ever get a ticket at a higher amount than the official rate, I note the officer's name and go straight to Ombudsma...

Andy |
02 December 2016 - 13:40:32

swerve "It's the law" I suggest you check out that famous quote by Martin Niemoller.

Andy |
02 December 2016 - 13:35:50

malczx7r "Very intelligent Andy" Thanks.
You don't seem to understand that to drive around without a seatbelt on, or ride a motorcycle without a helmet, or disable the air bags that none of these have any effect on other people, none is putting any other person at risk of harm. Whereas "ride drunk, on the phone, not looking where were going smoking, driving recklessly" do ...

Kurt |
02 December 2016 - 12:29:09

Swerv, swerv, again you miss the point of the comment.
The point is that no superior official can be held responsible for his staff doings in their free time. Period.
Further I advice you to have a look at Chalong circle during RTP 'ticketing hours'.
Than you see that only tourists on rented motorbikes a stopped and fined.
As the RTP there not stop and hand out tickets to thai, this ...

swerv |
02 December 2016 - 07:23:55

Kurt: Again, think first before saying something. Is much wiser?
You are the one who should think first before writing. A policeman is a government official whether he is on or off duty.
And yes, Police do hand out tickets to government officials.
I wish you would stop making ridiculous statements.

Kurt |
01 December 2016 - 14:42:59

And: a funny statement of the governor ( law wise)to declare that official's superiors will be held responsible if their staff not wear helmet.
Impossible. No Official's Superior is responsible for what his/her staff is doing in their free time.
Guess the Phuket governor was not legal-advised before he expressed this statement to the world.
Again, think first before saying something. ...

Kurt |
01 December 2016 - 14:28:11

Funny remarks of a police officer that kids have no money.
All the kids have smartphones/iPhones.
If they have no money to pay the fine, than confiscate their smartphone for 4 weeks.
After 4 weeks the kids can come up with the money for the fine and get their phone back.
Is that so difficult?

Jome |
01 December 2016 - 14:26:59

Its again the Thai way to tackle a problem...just talk it away...
The root cause for death and injuries is not the car,motorbike or missing helmet...its the people and only the people...........

Nasa123 |
01 December 2016 - 13:43:19

Sue Governor and Phuket + Municipal next Jet ski accident, because they are not doing their job. Have great hopes someone Sue Governor of Phuket + Municipal next Jet-ski accident. Because They are not doing Their job. It is NOT allowed and conduct some business growing up on some beaches in Thailand. I have a big suspicions about Corrupsjon here in Phuket. And the Jet Ski Mafia never follow the ru...

Rorii |
01 December 2016 - 13:20:30

There was a time, not that long ago, in the "advanced" world, when helmets were not compulsory, yes, people died, now we still see people die, we also see more surviving, with brain injuries, paraplegia, quadriplegia, missing limbs etc. The question I ask, how would you prefer to live/die. A properly fitted, quality, helmet, may save some head trauma, but not save the rest of your body,...

swerv |
01 December 2016 - 12:36:30

Andy: The answer is...it's the law. As is wearing seat belts.
Anyone who rides a motorbike without a helmet is an idiot.

Pauly44 |
01 December 2016 - 12:13:57

Drive a million miles an hour up the wrong side of the road, straight through red lights, swerve all over the lanes, don't indicate, cut off other motorists at will, drive way too slow, don't give way when you should, but you must wear your helmet!

malczx7r |
01 December 2016 - 10:19:30

Very intelligent Andy, lets all ride with no helmets, in act lets all ride drunk, on the phone, not looking where were going smoking, driving recklessly, oh yeh that already happens, it's called proportionate, you do what is reasonably practical to prevent injury! Wearing a helmet is about the least thing you can do to prevent injury, that's why when i ride i wear, boots, jeans, jacket, ...

Andy |
30 November 2016 - 22:51:14

What business is it of anyone apart from me and my family whether I choose to wear a helmet or not?
And before anyone starts quoting medical costs to the state I say, "two wrongs do not make a right."
And where does this stop?
Helmets in cars.
Full harness seat belts
Roll cages
20mph speed limit everywhere. Or 5mph? That would make the roads safe.
etc.
This is just the same as t...

bustermanidogs |
30 November 2016 - 22:26:15

Another governor taking the easy way! If you are going to declare war on something, how about declaring war on people carrying guns in phuket? There are incidents weekly of people getting shot, so how about doing something to truly earn your money, instead of this properganda nonsense that spews forth every time a governor wants a bit of good press? What about doing something about off duty police...